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sites vINIIEROMEET IN. ,GATErLATGHE ilxt tlgttnh nicht tu is tiges: hftttsutmt mit making gattini tigt time.

fro ALL wHoM IT MAYooNcEn'N:

Be'i't known that I, E. NICHOLSQN, of Rockport, in thercounty of Cu vahogayand Sit-ete of Ohio, have i invented certain new and useful improvements in Gatc-Latches; and I do hereby declare that the following is' c full and cempletedescrption of the construction a-'nd operation of the sume, reference .being had to the accom penying drawings making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is n view of the gate with the latch attached.

Figure 2- is :in enlarged view of the latch.

Like letters of reference refer to like parte inthe views;

The gate is of the ordinary construction, and' can be of any desired size.

A is the pedestal, audA the posts; the gate B b'eing hinged in any desirable manner to the post. ln fig. 2 C C are platesnhich ,are secured to v,the post by means of the pinslor bolts a, which pass through the post, the plates bengpla'ced, one on each side of said post, as shown in iig@ 1. D represents the latch which' extends through the post and through slots .in 'the plates C C'. One end of this latch forms e handle, D, the other end resting in a slot or opening in the post A'. E is a spring which is secured' to the inside of the piatc C', and is allowed to` move backward and forward by mes-usci` a slot or opening in the post..4 The end ot' this spring catches into a, notchfe, in-the latch. The upper edge of this latch forms shoulders b b', one on each side of the plate; When vthe handle D is pressed down, the shoulder b pushes against the plate, which acts as a fulcrum, on which the latch moves. When the handle is pushed down in this way the spring will he moved out from the plate, the end catchingviu the notch c ot' the latch as stated, which raises the other end o' the latch, as indicated by the dotted lines c', iig. 2, and the gate can then be easily opened. By removing the hand from the latch the spring will force it back in position, and also, with .the aid of the shoulder b, prevent it from being pulled out. Thus when the gate swings to, the latch, by means ci' the spring, will catch linto the slot above referred to.

It will he observed that as the handle of the latch is pressed down, the curved shoulder F, against which theV spring acts, slides through the slot, and in *so doing, describes the arc of acircle, as indicated hy the ,dotted lines, and that the shouldcrrests upon the lower 4end ofthe slot as itslides through; `thus the latch Vis at all times held in its proper position while 'being operntedrby the curvature of the shoulder, following the curve described, by the lifting ofthe latch, thnsdsupporting the same through the whole dista-nce 'it may move. What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- A The construction of a latch, D, provided with the shoulders b b,"notch c, and curved shoulder F, as arranged in combination with the spring E, slotted plates C C', and gate for the purpose and in the manner as set foi-th. I

E. NICHOLSON.

Witnesses:

W. H. Bussines, J. Homes. I 

